Houthi Forces Claim to Have Shot Down US Drone Over Hodeidah
The Houthi forces in Yemen have claimed responsibility for shooting down a US MQ-9 reconnaissance drone over the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.
Yemen: The Houthi forces in Yemen have claimed responsibility for shooting down a US MQ-9 reconnaissance drone over the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah. The interception, which took place on Tuesday, was described by Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea as the 15th aircraft neutralized by their forces in what they call the “ongoing Battle of the Promised Liberation and the Sacred Jihad,” a campaign they associate with supporting Palestine and Lebanon.
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According to the Houthi spokesperson, the drone was shot down for violating Yemeni airspace and conducting hostile operations in the Hodeidah province. However, there has been no immediate response or comment from US military or diplomatic sources regarding the Houthi claim.
Houthi Forces and Regional Tensions
The Houthi group, which controls large parts of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, has previously targeted vessels they accuse of having links to Israel in the Red Sea. These attacks are framed as part of their support for Palestinians during the ongoing conflict with Israel. The Houthis have escalated their military activities, including missile and drone strikes, in response to tensions in the region, particularly following the death of former Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in a January 2023 Israeli airstrike.
Ongoing Hostilities and International Response
The latest claim by the Houthis follows multiple attacks on vessels they allege are associated with Israel, the US, or the UK. Despite many of the ships attacked having minimal or no actual links to the conflict, the Houthis have consistently asserted that these actions are part of their broader strategy to end Israel’s operations against Hamas in Gaza. In retaliation, Israel has launched airstrikes on Houthi sites in Yemen, and the US-British naval coalition has carried out periodic air raids and strikes on Houthi targets to deter the group’s activities.
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The Houthi escalation in the region comes amid ongoing global concerns over the security of maritime traffic and the volatility of the region’s geopolitical landscape, especially in the wake of rising tensions between Israel, Iran, and various groups aligned with them.
